Conventionally, such a fishing reel having the pinion supported axially slidably and rotatably to the projecting portion of the spool shaft has been well-known.
When a fishing line wound onto the spool is intended to be drawn out therefrom for casting, the pinion axially slides to disconnect the clutch means to allow the spool shaft and spool to freely rotate.
The fishing reel is provided at the side wall with a clutch lever having cam faces and movable forwardly and backwardly perpendicularly to the spool shaft and with an actuator engaging the pinion and movable axially of the spool shaft by a push of the clutch lever, so that the pushing force thereof is used to slide the pinion through the cam faces and acuator.
Therefore, the pinion, when axially slid by the clutch lever to allow the spool to freely rotate for casting the line, happens to be distorted and contacts with the projecting shaft portion, whereby the spool shaft may be subjected to a frictional resistance against its free rotation. As a result, the spool is hindered from its free rotation making it impossible to cast the line to a great distance.